I 



8G VOYAGE TO THE POLAR SEA. Augus 



the island a few eider ducks' nests were found con- 

 taining eggs still unhatched. 



At 8 p.m., soon after high- water, the ice began to 

 set slowly to the southward, and shortly before mid- 

 night it opened sufficiently to induce me to make a 

 push towards the east. We succeeded in advancing 

 about half a mile, when the ice closed with the return- 

 ing Hood-tide and obliged me to secure the ships in a 

 very exposed position, one mile distant from the land, 

 which was hidden from our view by a thick fog. As 

 the flood-tide increased in strength each ship was 

 slightly nipped. 



On the ice easing at high- water, observing that a 

 crack was inclined to open, I telegraphed to Captain 

 Stephenson to prepare to start ; but the ' Discovery's ' 

 rudder was found disabled, and before I could move 

 the ' Alert ' to take her in tow the ice became stationary 

 again, without having opened a channel. Fortunately the 

 damage to the rudder was slight and quickly repaired. 

 At 3 P.M., the fog having cleared off, we had the 

 satisfaction of perceiving that although the tide was 

 flowing, the ice in the offing was moving to the south- 

 ward, which denoted an offshore wind. 



At 5.30 pm. a water-channel opened and per- 

 mitted us to advance by keeping close to the land. 

 The cliffs rose to a height of 1,500 feet; the upper 

 parts being precipitous with a narrow-based talus 

 extending from the water's edge to about 250 feet 

 up their front. Eastward of Cape d'Urville we crossed 

 a large bay, which was named after Professor G. J. 

 Allman, F.K.S., President of the Linnean Society. At 

 its head was a magnificent glacier reaching to within 



